For electromagnetic propulsion, there are many key factors that restrict its thrust improvement.
But the most important ones are two.
One is a high-power and high-density power supply, and the other is a strong magnetic acceleration field.
As you can tell from the name, electromagnetic propulsion, no matter what type it is, is inseparable from a power supply.
Even if the power attenuation problem caused by being far away from the sun is not taken into account, solar sail panels can only provide about 120kw of electric energy with the size of the International Space Station.
For the current electric propulsion system, 120Kw of electric energy can only provide about 5N of thrust.
The greater the thrust, the higher the demand for electrical energy. This is a destined exponential relationship of the electromagnetic propulsion system.
The strong magnetic acceleration field determines the speed of the ionized ions. The faster the ions are ejected, the greater the thrust that can be formed.
As for the working fluid, it is actually not a technical problem, it is just a consideration of whether it is worth it.
After all, no matter how expensive xenon is, today's industry still has ways to mass-produce it.
Of course, for Xu Chuan, aside from technical difficulties, he also needs to consider practicality.
Regarding Academician Yang Hong's curiosity, he smiled and replied: "If it is a problem in other aspects, maybe I can't think of a solution."
"But I might actually have a chance to solve the magnetic field and working fluid."
After a slight pause, he looked at Yang Hong and continued: "Academician Yang should know about high-temperature copper-carbon-silver composite materials, right?"
Hearing this, Yang Hong nodded and said: "I know this, but if you want to apply high-temperature copper-carbon-silver composite materials to electromagnetic propulsion systems, it may be quite difficult."
"Whether it is the volume or the additional condensation system, it will greatly increase the weight of the electromagnetic propulsion system, which will undoubtedly increase the burden on aerospace."
Xu Chuan said with a smile: "This is true in theory, but one of my recent research directions is room temperature superconducting materials and how to improve the critical magnetic field of superconducting materials. I already have some direction."
"Although the results are not yet known, if it can be successful, there should be no problem in using it in electromagnetic propulsion systems."
Hearing this, Yang Hong was stunned for a moment, opened his mouth and hesitated.
He wanted to ask what kind of material and direction it was, but at his level, he naturally knew the confidentiality of relevant research.
After thinking for a moment, he looked at Xu Chuan and asked, "What about the working substance?"
"Even if you can solve the magnetic field, the working fluid is also the key. The price of xenon is more expensive than gold. If too much working fluid is needed to complete a space mission, it is better to use traditional chemical fuels for propulsion."
Hearing this, Xu Chuan smiled lightly and said, "Then we won't use xenon."
"If we don't use xenon, what should we use? Argon?" Yang Hong was stunned again and asked curiously: "Although argon is indeed cheaper than xenon, it is still in the research direction, and it can support the completion of a space mission. The argon gas required
It won’t be much less, and it won’t necessarily be cheaper than chemical fuels.”
Xu Chuan smiled and shook his head and said: "No, just use nitrogen. Nitrogen is quite cheap and easy to separate. It is enough to support space missions."
"The reason why xenon is used in current electric propulsion is that xenon is the easiest to ionize, while other working fluids are more difficult to ionize."
"As for the problem of ionized nitrogen, it is naturally quite difficult if traditional methods are used. But when it is applied to a small and controllable nuclear fusion reactor, it is not a problem at all."
"The ionization temperature of nitrogen is more than a thousand degrees, which is not a problem at all for controllable nuclear fusion technology..."
"Wait, maybe there is a cheaper one..."
As he said this, Xu Chuan suddenly froze, thinking to himself.
Across the way, Yang Hong felt a little itchy after hearing half of it, but he didn't interrupt Xu Chuan's thinking.
He knew that if the other party's thinking was fruitful today, it might bring about great changes to the development of the aerospace industry.
From the concise words just now, he understood the general meaning of the young man in front of him.
He uses controllable nuclear fusion technology to provide majestic electrical energy for the electromagnetic propulsion system, and uses high-temperature ionization of cheap nitrogen and other working fluids, combined with the strong critical magnetic field superconducting materials he is researching, to provide thrust for the electromagnetic propulsion system.
This should be the complete idea of the new generation electromagnetic propulsion system of the person in front of me.
I have to say that, in theory, this set of technology is completely achievable as long as the relevant cores are fine.
Perhaps because he has been studying in one field for too long, the difficulties that he has heard can be defeated have become deeply ingrained in his mind. When facing the technological structure of this cutting-edge field, his thinking has become somewhat rigid. He no longer has the bold examples of the past and is cautious in seeking verification.
idea.
This is probably something that almost every scientific researcher will come up with after a long period of research work.
This is also the reason why most of the groundbreaking work in academia is almost done when young and middle-aged.
Xu Chuan, who was caught up in his ideas, did not care about the outside environment at all.
In my mind, a conceptual diagram of the electromagnetic propulsion system is being perfected bit by bit.
Suddenly, he suddenly raised his head, looked at Academician Yang Hong sitting opposite him with bright eyes, and asked in an excited tone: "Academician Yang, do you have a blackboard here?"
"Blackboard?" Yang Hong was stunned for a moment and said, "Yes, there is, but it's not in my office. If necessary, can I get it?"
Xu Chuan nodded and said, "Then please help Academician Yang bring a blackboard and chalk. I have some new ideas."
"OK."
Yang Hong nodded, stood up and walked out of the office. After a while, he dragged a mobile blackboard over.
Xu Chuan quickly stepped forward, picked up the chalk and started writing on the blackboard.
The conceptual diagram in his mind gradually appeared on the blackboard in his hands.
On the side, Yang Hong looked curiously at the strange images that gradually appeared on the blackboard, somewhat puzzled.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! But as Xu Chuan began to annotate and explain each module, he gradually froze, with shock and surprise in his pupils.
After a while, Xu Chuan, who put down the last stroke, threw the chalk in his hand into the chalk box, turned around and looked at Yang Hong with a smile, and said: "This is an idea I just came up with temporarily. Take a look, Academician Yang. But I
I have never learned how to draw engineering drawings, so please forgive me if the drawings are a bit ugly."
Looking at the structural diagram presented on the blackboard, Yang Hong couldn't help but swallowed and said, "How did you come up with the idea of using compressed air as a working fluid?!"
Hearing this, Xu Chuan smiled and said: "Cheap!"
"At the beginning, what I thought was to use a relatively cheap and easy-to-produce working fluid such as nitrogen to replace xenon or argon as the working fluid of the engine."
"But no matter how cheap they are, they have a cost."
"In that case, why not get it directly from the atmosphere?"
"The main components of the Earth's atmosphere are nitrogen and oxygen, and their content accounts for more than 99% of the total components. It can be said that as long as they are in the atmosphere, these two are inexhaustible.
"
"Although nitrogen and oxygen are more difficult to ionize than gases such as xenon and argon and have higher requirements for ionization, if a controllable nuclear fusion reactor is used to supply energy, it can be said that it is useless to ionize the air.
pressure."
"In this case, why not just add a suction compression device to draw working fluids such as nitrogen and oxygen directly from the atmosphere and directly supply them to the electromagnetic propulsion system."
"In this way, this kind of propulsion device directly solves the problems of working fluid and endurance in the atmosphere. As long as the energy provided by the controllable nuclear fusion reactor is sufficient, in theory, it can keep flying in the blue sky."
"As for going deep into outer space, this requires using the working fluid carried by the spacecraft itself."
"But compared to launching and using it directly from the ground, switching modes at high altitude, and then climbing into outer space, there is no doubt that the amount of working fluid required is much less."
"What do you think of this idea, Academician Yang? Can it be done?"
Opposite me, Yang Hong took a deep breath, suppressed the shock in his heart, and said slowly: "This is simply the most amazing electromagnetic engine design structure I have ever seen."
"Amazing!"
"But I have to say that if you can solve the problems of miniaturization of controllable nuclear fusion and strong magnetic current accelerating fields, it is really possible."
Xu Chuan smiled and said: "I am going to name this electromagnetic propulsion system 'aerospace engine'!"
"Aerospace engine, aerospace engine..."
Yang Hong muttered twice and said with bright eyes: "It is an engine that is suitable for both aviation and aerospace!"
"If you really design and manufacture this engine, it will be the biggest turning point in the field of aviation and aerospace!"
"It will even become one of the mainstream engines in the future era of interstellar voyages."
"After all, theoretically speaking, it is not only applicable to the earth, but can be adapted to almost any planet with an atmosphere."
Xu Chuan smiled and said: "Considering alien planets or something like that is still too far away at the moment."
"But theoretically speaking, it is indeed suitable for the aerospace field and can also be adapted to the aviation field. That's why I call it an aerospace engine."
After a pause, he offered an olive branch: "How about it, Academician Yang, are you interested? Come to Xinghai Research Institute and work with me to develop this new engine."
Yang Hong's face was obviously moved, and he opened his mouth, but he still didn't say the words of agreement.
He shook his head with a wry smile and said: "I am very grateful to Academician Xu for his attention, but I cannot agree to this. After all, I still hold the position of chief designer of the Tiangong Space Station."
Hearing this, Xu Chuan smiled sheepishly, but he almost forgot about it.
This poaching went directly to the head of another chief designer, phew!
Yang Hong on the opposite side smiled and said: "But I can recommend someone to you."
"who?"
.......
PS: There will be another update tonight, please vote for me!
